Fremont Argus : A Tesla Model S in China will cost $121,000

BEIJING — Tesla Motors (TSLA) has announced a $121,000 sticker price for its Model S electric sedan in China, and called it a “big risk” because the company could charge twice as much.

The fledgling U.S. automaker said Thursday it will add only unavoidable taxes and shipping charges to its U.S. price of $81,000.

Tesla wants to treat Chinese buyers “just as well as we’d treat customers in any other country,” the company said on its website. It said it was willing to take a “big risk” that customers might think its cars were lower quality than higher-priced competitors.

China is the world’s biggest auto market by number of vehicles sold. Global automakers are looking to it to drive revenues as sales growth elsewhere flattens out.